The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

FROM THE DESK OF MR IBRHM KARIMBILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGERBANK OF AFRICAOUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO

DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE. I AM THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA .I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THATI AM ABOUT TO REPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR BOTH FAMILIES.

I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF $30 MILLION IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK HERE WITHOUT ANY BODY COMING FOR IT.
I WANT TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER(THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT) WHO DIED A LONG WITH HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN IN AN AIR CRASH SINCE JULY 2000. FOR MORE PROVE YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK OF THE PLANE CRASH IN THIS WEB SITE.
HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/1/HI/WORLD/EUROPE/859479. STM I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURY AS AN ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU, SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER. PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET AND DELETE IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 40% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO TRANSACT THE BUSINESS WITH ME.